Multicolor-printing machinery.



J. MURRAY.

MULTICOLOR PRINTING MACHINERY.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 20, 1913.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914,

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MULTICOLOR PRINTING MACHINERY.

APPLIUATION rum) NOV. 20, 1913.

1,106,313, Patented Aug.4,1914.

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J. MURRAY.

MULTIGOLOR PRINTING MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1913. 1,106,331 3, Patented Aug. 4, 191% 6 BHEETS-SHEI1T 3.

J. MURRAY.

MULTIGOLOR .PRINTING MACHINERY.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 29, 1913.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914;

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APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1918.

1,106,31 3. Patented Aug.4,1914,

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JOHN MURRAY, 0F EDINBURGH. SCOTLAND.

MULTICOLOR-PRINTING MACHINERY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Ana. 4:, 1914.

Application filed November 29, 1913. Serial No. 803,759..

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Join: MURRAY, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Edinburgh, Scotland, have ii'iventcd certain new and useful Improvements in Muticolor-Printing Ma chinery, ofwhich the following is the specification.

The invention has for its object to provide a machine for fine nu'llti-color printing in which exceptionally accurate registration of the impressions in successive colors is attained, while the speed of operation is much greater than hitherto possible.

A machine made according to the inveir tion performs the entire sequence of printing several color impressions upon a web of paper at a single passage through it, and while the various operations and the various machine-integers which carry them out are separately broadly known, they have not hitherto been combined in one machine for the purpose set forth. That is to say; in carrying out the invention, the Web is first perforated with a series of accurately spaced. perforations either during or previouslyto its passage through the machine. The successive impression cylinders for the succcssive color impressions are provided with sprocket teeth which are relatively adjustable around their peripheries. Thus is exceedingly accurate registration attained. While such methods of obtaining registration have been employed (broadly and not with the refinements hereinafter explained) in analogous arts, they have not hitherto been employed in fine color printing. Means are provided for preventing undue strain upon the perforationsso that they are unstrained throughout the whole passage of the Web, and thus their function of registration remains unimpaired throughout. Again, means are provided for causing the paper to travel such a distance between each successive printing integer that the previous impression is dry before the succeedii'lg printing integer reached--such means may also be employed to air the web before it reaches the first printing integer. While apparatus of this kind has been used in va rious kindred arts----such as papercoating it has not been employed in fine multi-color printin The sequence ol operations is as l'olloivs: The paper from the web-roll is led for air ing purposes firstly in vertical rig-nag fash ion over a series of jockey rolls preferably driven. It then passes through any coir \enient type of punching machine by which the registration apertures are punched in it--these operations may however be performed previously and separately. to the printing operations and the web re-rolled. Subsequently, the paper passes through the first printing machine unit and receives the first color impression. From thence it passes to a second series of jockey rolls of such number that its vertical zigzag travel over them is adequate for the drying of the impression. It then passes to the second printing machine unit. From there it passes again alternately over jockey rolls and through printing machine units as many as there may he. Finally the web is divided into sheets by any convenient form of cutting-oft device, or alternatively it may be rerolled uncut.

In order that the invention and the manner of performing the same may be properly understood, there. are hereunto appended four sheets of explanatory drawings illustrating an example of a complete machine made according to the invention.

Figures 1, 1, 1 and 1 jointly shown on Sheets 1, 2, 3, and 4, form a side elevation. F 2, i2, 2*, 2 similarly shown on these sheets form a plan. Figs. 3'a nd 4, Sheets 5 and 6, are respectively a side and a front elevation to an increased scale of a printing machine unit.

In this example the various integers are carried upon a lengthy base 10 and are operated by an electric motor 11 through a line 12 of coupled shafts. This coupled shaft operates a series of worm gears in casings 13, 14, 15, 1(5.(and one other which is re moved to show details behind it). The worm wheels of these gears operate shafts 17, 18, 19, .20, 21 in the case of the shafts 18, 19, and 20, through dog clutches 2E2.

The spindle 2% of the roll of paper is supported in usual manner on antifriction roll in a bracket 25 at the left-hand end of the machine (Fig.1,Sheet1). The paperthe course of which is throughout indicated by arrow heads upon it--passes from the roll to a tensioniug device consisting of a pair of rollers 26 mounted between gear wheels 27 fast on a shaft The rollers 30 may be angled more or less as desired by means of a worm 2H worm wheel 25) on a shaft 30 having on it (Fig. 2) engaging a pinions 31 engaging the wheels '2], The paper then passes between a pair of nipping rolls 32 by which it is drawn oil and which are driven through pinion and chainaurdsprocket gearing 33 from the shaft 17. The paper then passes up to and over the first of a series of jockey rollers 15-): mounted transversely at the top of what may be termed an integer housing- 35. The first of the rollers 34 is driven by a chain 36 passing over a sprocket-wheel upon it and one upon the lower of the pair 32 of nipping rolls-- the upper of which i driven by the same chain engaging a sprocketwvheel 37 upon it. The remainder of the series of jockey rollers 34 are driven by a train of gear wheels 38 upon and intermediate to them. The dependent folds of paper between the successive jockey rollers 34; are steadied by jockey rollers 39 hanging freely in bights of the web. From the last of these rollers 3t) it passes up to and through a perforating device. This device consists of a roller 40 having around its periphery at the center of its length a series of dies which coact with a series of punches arranged around the periphery of a narrow drum ll on a shaft 1-2, roller and drum being driven from the shaft 17 by a series of gear wheels 43. The paper now passes downward and under a guide roller 4i carried in brackets on the base 10 and then under a controlled jockey roller i5 which 'arricd and operates in a manner hereinafter described. From here the paper passes up and between the printing cylinder to and the impression cylinder 1-7 of the first printing machine unit 48. This is broadly of known form, but contains a series of devices fitting'it to its particular purpose and hereinafter described. The usual series 49 of ink supplying and distributing devices are provided, and the two cylinders are driven by a train 50 of gearing from the shaft 18. After passing between the printing and llllPl'LSn'lOll cylinders 46, -l-T and receiving its first impression, the paper passes down under a controlled jockey roller Sl'similar to that (45) over which it passed on entry to the machine-unit. From here it passes under a guide roller 52 to a second set of jockey rollers 23- 39 arranged in a housing 53. The first of this series of rollers is driven by a chain 51' engaging a sprocket wheel 55 on it and a sprocket wheel 56 on one of the former series of rollers. The remainder of the series of rollers are driven as before by gearing 38with the exception of the last of each series which is free. The paper now passes under a guide roller 57 carried in brackets on the base 10 and under the controlled jockey roller 45 of the second printing machine unit 58 which is driven from the shaft it). On leaving this machine the paper passes as before to a series of jockey rollers 34, 39 in an mtcgenhousing 59. From there it passes to the third printing machine unit (30 (which is driven from the shaft 20) and from there to a. final series of jockey roller 34, 39 in an integer-housing 61. One of the rollers 34- of this last series is driven from the shaft 21 through sprocket wheels 62, 63 and a chain 6- while the next preceding series of rollers 3% is driven by a chain 65 and sprocket wheels (36, U7 upon one of the ,rollers 3-l of each series. From this last series of rollers 34, 39 the paper passes finally over a guide roller 98 to -a roller 99 upon which it is rewou'ndthis roller 99 being driven at varying speed of rotation but constant peripheral speed of winding by its engagement in known manner With friction rolls (38 which are driven by a train 69 of gearing from the shaft 21.

Alternatively the web of paper may be cut into sheets as it leaveslthe machine. When this is the case it is led between nipping rolls 70 intermittently driven in known manner and a knife 71 operated by rods and links 72 from the shaft 2lall of which being well-known in construction and operation is not more fully described.

As already explained there is embodied in the printing machine units anumber of no el devices adapting them to their particular purpose. These devices are shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 4.

In order that the impression cylinder 47 may be withdrawn from the printing cylinder io for example, to allow of the preliminary adjustment of the paper Web and the various printing and impression cylindcrs'the hollow spindle 73 of the former cylinder is carried in ball bearings in eccen tric bushes 74. To these eccentric bushes are secured plates 75 having teeth out on parts of their peripheries. ith these teeth there gear scgnn-nts 76 of wheels. mounted on the ends of a transverse shaft 77 which is provided with a handle 78. Thus the impression cylinder may be moved toward or away from the printing cylinder by opera tion of the handle. A hand wheel Tl) cunnectcd to a' pinion of the train 50 which gears with the driving'pinion of the impression cylinder is provided for rotating that cylinder by hand. I

in the present example there is one central series of perforations, and these are engagged by sprocket wheels arranged centrally on the impression cylinders. In order that each of these wheels may be relatively ad.- j listed to give that great accuracy of registration of which the machine is capabe, each impression cylinder is divided cen trally, a id fitting in a groove formed between the two parts is arranged a sprocket wheel 81 of ring form and whi h thus may be rotated relatively to the impression cylin der. in order that this sprocket ring may be thus relatively adjusted and held in adjustment, there cut in its internal periphery a ring of teeth 82. With these teeth there gears a pinion S3 pivoted in a recess between the two parts of the cylinder. The pinion 83 projects inward through a slot in the hollow spindle 73 of the cylinder, and there gears with a pinion 8- on a shaft 85 extending out to the end. of the spindle 73. Here it carries a small wormwheel 86 engaged by a worm 87 mounted in a casing attached to the end of the spindle. The worm spindle is provided with means for its rotation by hand and so for the adjustment of the sprocket ring 81. Each of the dog clutches 22 is operated by a lever 88 pivoted in a bracket 89 on the base 10 and enga ing the clutch mail. The lever is operate in turn through a link 90 by a handled lever 91 pivoted on the base.

The controlled jockey rollers 45, 51 hereinbefore referred to are each carried on a pair of lever arms 92, 93 pivoted on a transverse shaft 94. The ends of the arms remote from the rollers have adjustably secured upon them weights 95'thus the tension upon the paper as it enters and leaves the printing units may be very accurately adjustcd and strain upon it minimized.

It is obvious that instead of many of these devices, alternatives to them may be used Without passing out with the scope of the invention, but to attain the exceedingly good results attained by the machine both as regards accuracy and speed it is essential that means should be provided to remove strain as much as possible from the pcrt'orations so that they may not be distorted (so spoiling register) in passing through the machine, that means should be provided for the accurate adjustment of the sprockets engaging the perforations'so that the parts maybe brought into proper register, and that meansshould be provided for the drying of the ink between each impression, and preferably for the preliminary airing of the paper--so that its temperature and humidity may be constant during its passage through the machine.

What I claim is 2-- '1. A multicolor, fine printing machine for printing a web of paper provided with a series of registration guide-apertures, said machine comprising a series of rotary print ing units each having sprocket-wheel guiding devices for engaging the paper aperturos, a zigzag jockey-roller unit interposed between adjacent printing units to receive the web and insure the drying of the ink of one impression before the next impression is superposed thereon, means for adjusting the sprocket-wheel guiding devices for each printing unit to insure registrationof the impression in succeeding printing units, means for relieving the web from undue strain on the perforations and means for permitting the insertion and adjustment of the web in position, substantially as described.

2. A multi-color, fine-printing machine for printing a Web of paper, comprising a series of jockey rollers, a rotary perforating device for forming a series of registration guide apertures in the web, and means for leading the web over said jockey rollers to the perforating device, in combination with a series of rotary printing units each having .sp1iocket-ivheel guiding devices for engagstantially as described.

3. A multi-color, fine'printingmachine for printing a web of paper provided with a series of registration guide-a ertures, said machine comprising a series 0 rotary printing units each having sprocket-wheel guiding devices for engagin the paper apertures, a zigzag jockey-r01 er unit interposed between adjacent printing units to receive the web and insure the drying of the ink of one impression before the next impression 1s superposed thereon, means for ad usting the sprocket-wheel guiding devices for each rintin unit to insure registration of the impression in succeeding printing units, and means for relieving the web from undue strain on the perforations as it passes over said sprocket wheel guiding devices, said means comprising lever-supported jockeypulleys immediately in advance of and ft? lowing each printing roller and weights a justable upon said levers and opposed to the drag of the web, for the purpose described.

4. In amulti-color, fine-printing machine for rinting a web having a series of guide er orations thereon, a rotary printing unit aving an impression c linder, a sprocket wheel rotating therewith for engaging the registration perforations in the web, and means for adjusting said sprocket wheel rotarily with relation to the lmpr'ession cylinder, together with means for locking said sprocket wheel and impression cylinder in relativel adjusted position, for the purpose described In a multi-color, fine-printing machine for printing a web having a series of guide perforations thereon, a rotary printing unit having an impression cylinder with peripheral groove, a hollow spindle forsaid cylinder, a sprocket ring arranged in said groove and provided with internal spur teeth, a shaft coaxial with, within and extending be yond the hollow cylinder spindle, a pinion on said shaft operatively engaged with said sprocket ring and means for rotating said shaft to adjust said sprocket rotarily with relation to said cylinder, substantially as described.

6. In a multi-color, fineprinting machine for printing a web having a series of guide perforations therein, a rotary printing unit having an impression cylinder with peripheral groove, a hollow spindle for said cylinder, a sprocket ring arranged in said groove and provided with internal spur teeth, a shaft coaxial with, within and extending beyond the hollow cylinder spindle, a pinion on said shaft operatively engaged with said sprocket ring, a worm wheel on the outer end of said shaft and. a Worm wheel meshing therewith and mounted upon the end of the cylinder spindle, substantially as described.

7. In a inulti-color, fine-printing machine for printing a Web having a series of registration perforations therein, a rotary printing unit comprising a printing cylinder and an impression cylinder having independent end sections, and a sprocket arranged between said sections and adjustably secured in rigid position with relation thereto for engaging the registration perforations in the Web, substantially as described.

8. In a multicolor, fineprinting machine for printing a web having a series of registration perforations therein, a rotary printing unit comprising a printing cylinder and an impression cylinder having independent end sections, and a sprocket arranged between said sections and adjustably secured in rigid positionwith relation thereto for engaging the registration perforations in the web, together with eccentric bushes providcd with concentric gears, in which bushes the opposite ends of said impression cylinder are mounted )inions meshin with the ear of the bushes and means for actuating said pinions to effect the separation of the print ing and impression cylinders to permit the insertion and adjustment of the web, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

J OHN MURRAY.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK PRATT, Gnnnns VVHrrnLAW. 

